World Neurosurg
-
This was a single-institutional retrospective cohort study. ⋯ The online wound-related risk calculator was found to accurately predict wound infections but not wound reoperations within our metastatic spine surgery cohort. We suggest that the model may be clinically useful despite underlying population differences, but further work must be done to generate and validate accurate prediction tools.
-
There has been a progressive growth of neurosurgery in Nigeria over the past 6 nulldecades. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the state of neurosurgical practice, training, and research in the country. ⋯ Our mixed-methods approach provided significant insights into the historical, contemporary, and future trends of neurosurgery in Nigeria. The results could form the foundation for policy improvement; health-system strengthening; better resource-planning, prioritization, and allocation; and more purposive collaborative engagement in Nigeria and other low- and middle-income countries.
-
Although dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is still the gold standard for diagnosing osteoporosis, it can lead to inaccurate bone mineral density measurements due to lumbar degeneration and scoliosis. Many researchers have investigated diagnostic methods for osteoporosis in patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS). This study aimed to investigate the differences between conventional vertebral bone quality (VBQ) scores and modified VBQ scores in patients with DLS and the influence of lumbar scoliosis on VBQ scores. ⋯ Different modified VBQ scores can be used as supplementary methods for diagnosing osteoporosis in patients with DLS. Lumbar scoliosis may not significantly affect the VBQ score.
-
Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) fusion, to treat back pain caused by SIJ dysfunction, can employ open or minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques and either cylindrical (screw-shaped) or triangular (wedge-shaped) implants. Fusion nonunion sometimes explains recurrent SIJ pain following fusion and occasionally requires hardware revision. MIS revision minimizes patient pain, infection, and disability, but due to the triangular implant size and form factor, implant removal can present challenges for MIS access during the explantation and achieving good bony purchase for reinstrumentation. Here, we report a prone single-position lateral MIS/posterior mini-open procedure for triangular-implant SIJ fusion revision. ⋯ The use of navigation and MIS access can significantly decrease the complexity of lateral hardware removal, and mini-open navigated screw-and-rod constructs offer reinstrumentation options accessible to surgeons unfamiliar with specialized posterior SIJ systems.
-
Using a laboratory-based optical setup, we show that 5-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA) fluorescence is better detected using the endoscope than the microscope. Furthermore, we present our case series of fully endoscopic 5ALA-guided resection of intraparenchymal tumors. ⋯ The endoscope provides enhanced visualization/detection of 5ALA-induced fluorescence compared with the microscope. 5ALA endoscopic-assisted resection of intraparenchymal tumors is safe and feasible.